Photo by Dero Sanford.

I am the ignoramus coroner, target-market cornerer

Hippie baby parent's mentality — no formula

Giving you a dose of reality 'cause I'm more than a

Race, color, creed, other, citizen or foreigner

 

I, too, was happy when Barack's time came

Not just because he's black — he represents change

While others text each other and celebrate; I'll be workin'

To help his presidency serve a more meaningful purpose

 

Continue reading "607, poet" »

Posted by Lindsey Millar | Permalink | Comments (0)

Local DJ supreme g-force has lately been broadening his horizons at Deep. On Wednesdays, he's been using the Serato Video-SL plug-in to mix music videos that show on two projection screens and two LCDs, 10 p.m., $5 or free if you're a lady. Dollar martinis for ladies, too.

ALSO: g-force reports that the club recently expanded the dancefloor, but there's plenty of room to sit and watch, too.

Posted by Lindsey Millar | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ted Ludwig.

TED LUDWIG QUINTET
5 p.m., Capital Bar and Grill. Free.
8:30 p.m., Afterthought. $7.

Arkansas's (the region's?) finest jazz trio expands its ranks on Wednesday in the first of a two-night, four-gig CD release party to celebrate Ted Ludwig's sophomore release, “Shabang!”. Since moving here three years ago, the New Orleans transplant has almost single-handedly reinvigorated our jazz scene. A seven-string whiz, he gigs five days a week, usually with his sturdy three-piece, which includes bassist Joe Cripps and drummer Brian Brown. For “Shabang!” Ludwig recruited a couple homeboys, who also happen to be two of New Orleans finest, pianist Michael Pellera and saxophonist Tony Dagradi, who's made his name as the leader of the Astral Project. Pellera and Dagradi will appear at all four gigs. Same places, same times on Thursday.

Posted by Lindsey Millar | Permalink | Comments (0)

Continue reading "Last night: Chuck Klosterman" »

Posted by Lindsey Millar | Permalink | Comments (0)

Potentially awesome Idaho rockers Finn Riggins (they're big in the Northwest) play White Water with the guaranteed to be awesome Moving Front and big Philip Roth fans, Fayetteville hard rockers the Counterlife, 10 p.m., donations.

Piss off your mom: Tell her your going to hear the Flameing Death Fearies, the Throbbing Testicles and Go Fast at Juanita's, 9 p.m., $5.

Or the ASO's Sturgis Quartet plays the River Rhapsodies series with the Quapaw Quartet at Forty Two in the Clinton Library, 7 p.m., $28.

Posted by Lindsey Millar | Permalink | Comments (0)

CHUCK KLOSTERMAN
7:30 p.m., McCastlain Hall, UCA. Free.

There's a Facebook group called “If Chuck Klosterman spit in my face, I'd stop taking showers.” At press time, it had 950 members. Those and other rabid fans will have an opportunity to see the journalist, cultural critic and now novelist (his debut, “Downtown Owl,” came out in September) up close and personal on Tuesday and Wednesday as he serves, briefly, as an Artist in Residence at UCA. For around an hour and a half, he'll lecture or read on Tuesday, take questions and sign books. Wednesday, he'll lead master classes about the writing process, open to the public, in Winifred L. Thompson 331 at 10 a.m. and McCastlain 302 at 11 a.m. Over the course of five books (two of essays, two of creative non-fiction and the novel) and countless columns and articles for the likes of the Believer, ESPN.com, Esquire, GQ and the New York Times, Klosterman's written about everything from the Celtics/Lakers rivalry to Internet porn. Expect a gaggle of pop culture obsessives, this one included.

Posted by Lindsey Millar | Permalink | Comments (0)

CELTIC THUNDER
8 p.m., Alltel Arena. $37.50-$57.50.

Here's something you don't hear much in this day and age: Celtic Thunder, the five-man Irish vocal group, is a bona fide PBS-fueled phenomenon. So far in 2008, the network has aired the group's live show more than 1,000 times. Who knew traditional Celtic music (that is, music rooted in Ireland and Scotland) had such an appeal? Though, to be fair, Celtic Thunder isn't all “Whiskey in the Jar.” The vocal group, spanning in ages from teens to middle age, is known, too, for adding regional flair to more contemporary songs like “Nights in White Satin” and “Ride On.” Expect, also, elaborate choreography and visual effects and accompaniment by the bagpipes, the Celtic Concert Orchestra and monks.

Posted by Lindsey Millar | Permalink | Comments (0)

‘CHRISTMAS ON MARS'
8 p.m., Malco Theater, Hot Springs. $5.

Wayne Coyne spent seven years making “Christmas on Mars” in his backyard in Oklahoma City. The lead singer of the psychedelic pop band the Flaming Lips, who once released a four-disc album meant to be played simultaneously, has long made bizarre theatrics a centerpiece of the group's live shows. At the last Lips show I saw, Coyne wore a white suit, with fake blood smeared across his face, and presided over dancing people in stuffed animal costumes and giant weather balloons, while slow-mo video of topless women jogging down a beach was projected onto a screen. So it's not surprising that critics have likened his DIY sci-fi film to a “thrift-shop ‘Solaris'” with “dashes of David Lynch” and “an echo of ‘The Wizard of Oz,'” even as they've admitted to not quite grasping the plot particulars. Coyne stars as a green-horned Martian who dons a Santa suit. Steven Drozd, a multi-instrumentalist in the band, plays an astronaut, and Adam Goldberg, Fred Armisen and Isaac Brock make cameos. All proceeds from this one-time showing benefit the Valley of the Vapors music festival.

Posted by Lindsey Millar | Permalink | Comments (0)

REBA AND KELLY CLARKSON
8 p.m., Alltel Arena. $49.50-$59.50.

After three decades in country music and seven years as a TV star, Reba's famous enough she doesn't need McEntire anymore. She's just plain Reba. Kelly Clarkson, arguably the most talented among the “American Idol” alumni, isn't anywhere near one-name status, but then again, she's only 26, and she's already got two multi-platinum albums and two Grammys under her belt. The oddball pair, united by representation (McEntire's husband, Narvel Blackstock), first debuted together on an episode of “CMT Crossroads” last year and later in the year had a hit single with a reworking of Clarkson's “Because of You” on the album “Reba: Duets.” Now, on the “2 Worlds, 2 Voices Tour,” they're performing together onstage, each supporting the other on her songs. Hearing Reba belt out “Since U Been Gone” should be worth the price of admission alone.

Posted by Lindsey Millar | Permalink | Comments (0)

Riverboat Crime.

Continue reading "The Weekend: Eclipse Glasses, Mozart to the Max, Gina Gee, Jimmy Thackery and Earl Cate and more " »

Posted by Lindsey Millar | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you were expecting a quiet singers-in-the-round type of a show last night at Juanita’s you didn’t get it. The Revival Tour (featuring Ben Nichols of Lucero, Tim Barry of Avail, Chuck Ragan of Hot Water Music and Tom Gabel of Against Me!) opened up with a forceful performance – everyone on stage complete with acoustic guitars, mandolin, fiddle, stand-up bass, pedal steel and a harmonica. After a couple of songs, the solo sets began. Even over an acoustic guitar, Tom Gabel’s performance was somewhere akin to getting punched in the face. Barry’s unapologetic songs kept the crowd into it, including a pretty hart-warming tune he dedicated to a lost friend and his sister’s new baby. Nichols was a crowd-favorite and played through some old Lucero staples including the now-tired “My Best Girl.” Nichols also played some material from his new solo record, “The Last Pale Light in the West.” Chuck Ragan rounded out the cast with a strong set, showing great vocal range. After the solo sets were done, all rejoined on stage for a couple of farewell numbers including an up-beat and lively version of “Wagon Wheel.” The solo sets were strong, but the highlights came during the ensemble bits. After some 40-odd shows together, these guys have really learned how to play to each other’s strengths and polish over each other’s rough spots. Here’s hoping for another revival.

On the jump, catch a full version of Ben Nichols and the guys playing an old Lucero tune, “Hold Fast.”

Continue reading "A New-fashioned Revival" »

Posted by Gerard Matthews | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOONDOGS
10 p.m., Juanita's. $10.

The Boondogs abide. For almost a decade, the local pop-rock group's been a study of persistence, releasing new albums about every other year and playing out just enough that their shows always feel long-coming. The central dynamic, too, remains largely unchanged: Lead singers and songwriters and husband and wife Indy Grotto and Jason Weinheimer frame songs (each usually anchors songs alone) as if they're having a conversation, and one that often takes dark turns. But don't mistake persistence for creative sameness. With each album, the 'dogs have built on their formula, which has lately meant albums that deeply deserve an audience beyond Little Rock. Their new record, “Take Shelter,” a sunnier, bigger sounding rumination on love and loss, easily fits that bill. On Friday they'll celebrate its release. The famed producer, session man and singer/songwriter Jim Dickinson opens the show with a rare performance in his hometown. The $10 entry fee includes a copy of the album.

See a short video on the Boondogs in our video player above.

Posted by Lindsey Millar | Permalink | Comments (1)

ANNE PRESSLY BENEFIT
7 p.m., the Grand Ballroom of the Peabody. $25.

In memory of Anne Pressly, local promoter Butch Stone presents a night of entertainment of all stripes. All proceeds will be donated according charities selected by Pressly's parents. The headliners include local cover band CRISIS, blue-eyed soul man Big John Miller, rising talent Cara Martin and the gospel act Glory Land Mass Choir. Randall Eller the Magician, Kassi Kimmons, Sherry Haywood, Kasi Lunsford, Barrett Baber and Heather Bennett are also on the bill. A number of local radio personalities, including Tom Wood, Jeff Allen, Heather and DC, will also be on hand; most will be broadcasting live. Admission includes two free drink tickets at door.

Posted by Lindsey Millar | Permalink | Comments (1)

Posted by Lindsey Millar | Permalink | Comments (0)

To-Do List Podcast.mp3

Posted by Lindsey Millar | Permalink | Comments (0)

BEN NICHOLS/CHUCK RAGAN/TIM BARRY/ TOM GABEL
9 p.m., Juanita's. $15.

Folk-punks have had this date circled for months. In what's dubbed the “Revival Tour” — a nod to the folk era, when solo artists often collaborated onstage — four of the genre's biggest names, Ben Nichols (Lucero), Chuck Ragan (Hot Water Music), Tim Barry (Avail) and Tom Gabel (Against Me), come to town to play solo sets and provide backing support for each other. Nichols, who's no stranger to solo gigs in Little Rock, has said the idea of the tour grew from the pleasure of  “stripping everything down to its basic form” and likened it to “sitting around a campfire every night playing music with some friends.” He's sure to be the big draw at Juanita's, but nationally, particularly in the punk scene, he might be the least well known, and he's definitely the odd man out among the coterie of protest-minded punk and hardcore. But where material might separate the quartet, everyone sings like he's spent a lifetime hollering and drinking grain alcohol, which is to say, grizzled. Don't expect that to stop the legions, which are likely to show up in force, from singing along.

Posted by Lindsey Millar | Permalink | Comments (2)

Posted by Lindsey Millar | Permalink | Comments (0)

On Tuesday, the Telegraph published "Fifty things you might not know about Barack Obama," and the geeky corners of the web are atwitter about the first item in the list: "He collects Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian comics." Note the present tense.

The list, surely provided by handlers, otherwise has the air of well-considered Facebook profile, a healthy mix of gentle self-deprecation ("He has read every Harry Potter book," "He says his worst habit is constantly checking his BlackBerry."), gentle self-aggrandizement ("He can bench press an impressive 200lbs"), consumer choices ("He uses an Apple Mac laptop," "He drives a Ford Escape Hybrid.") and bizarre biographical tidbits ("He worked in a Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop as a teenager and now can't stand ice cream," "He kept a pet ape called Tata while in Indonesia.").

And all the people say: He's just like me!

Posted by Lindsey Millar | Permalink | Comments (0)

As every blog and music magazine and retail outlet starts to unveil year-end lists, two Arkansas-tied artists look primed to be pretty ubiquitous. Adopted Arkie Hayes Carll, who went to Hendrix and often writes about the Natural State, garnered raves for his third release, "Trouble in Mind," including this one from us, and he's country enough to give the assembling music nerds warm feelings of diversity, but alt enough for them to stay at arm's length from Nashville country, which despite recent anti-rockist strides, still hasn't made inroads with the nation's critics on anywhere the same level as, say, rap.

And Al Green, 'course from Forrest City, managed to shed that tendency of aging soul icons to use a lot of synthesizers, instead opting for stripped down arrangements that put his rangy vocals up front where they belong. It too got raves. Including (plug, plug) this one.

I'm betting Reverend Al features on every broadly encompassing list and Carll makes about half. Maybe a few more. Former Times staffer N-Bodd3000 points out that Amazon's unveiled its editor's list, which includes Carll (#9) and Green (#4). To give you a fuller sense of the wisdom of the editors of Amazon, Kings of Leon top the chart.

Posted by Lindsey Millar | Permalink | Comments (4)

Girl Talk, AKA pop collagist Greg Gillis, is coming to Revolution on Feb. 12 for $15. All ages.

Yes!

I haven't listened to anything this year as much as "Feed the Animals."

Fingers-crossed that copyfight won't claim him before then.

UPDATE: Idolator has further analysis on the hypothetical infringement case against Girl Talk. For all the scores of constitutional law nerds and Girl Talk fans out there.

Previously: Video collages to match every sample and a review of the Girl Talk show last year at Hendrix.

Posted by Lindsey Millar | Permalink | Comments (0)